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Archives for February 2013

My #14Daysofchocolate obsession is at an end. I wanted to do a recap of all the great recipes and tips I have given over the last few weeks. What we all should have discovered is that a little chocolate can actually benefit your health. Yes, dark chocolate is the usual go to for health benefits but milk chocolate also shows promise. The flavanols found in chocolate are the chemicals that can impact your health. They are beneficial in improving:

Insulin Sensitivity

Blood Pressure

HDL Cholesterol

LDL & Total Cholesterol

Mood

Skin Health

Weight Management

To get more of the flavanols, you may be tempted by these recipes from Registered Dietitians or check out my segment on WUSA9 in Washington, DC, on Chocolate’s Healthy Allure.

Do you want to know one of my favorite things besides chocolate? Super easy recipes you can make in a pinch rank high on my list, like this 3 ingredient recipe using chocolate. Jennifer Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD, is a health and nutrition expert who supplied us with this delicious recipe. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, you can make these in a snap. Giving the gift of chocolate may benefit your health when eaten in moderation. As little as 1 ounce a day may be cardioprotective. One study showed increases in HDL or good cholesterol within 3 weeks by eating dark chocolate & a 24% increase after 12 weeks.

Unwrap the plastic on 20 caramels. Put the caramels in a microwave safe bowl, heat for 30 – 40 seconds until caramels are slightly soft but NOT melted (or else you will have a sticky mess). Roll each caramel into a ball and placed onto wax paper. Next, melt the Baker’s chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until smooth.

Drop each caramel into the chocolate and remove with a fork, tapping the fork on the side of the container to remove excess chocolate. Place onto wax paper.

Top with desired toppings then let sit for at least 30 minutes. If you refrigerate, don’t eat straight out of the fridge as the caramels will be very hard. Instead let sit at room temperature.

If you are in a rush in the morning, this smoothie is an easy and delicious way to start your day. It packs in protein and fresh fruit to get you moving. Did you know by adding the dark chocolate to this recipe that you can help your skin? Studies show chocolate can help protect harmful UV rays, increase blood flow to the skin, and may improve skin structure.

Thanks to Kristina LaRue, a dietitian out of Orlando, who shared her recipe with us. More of her love of food and nutrition can be found on her blog, Love and Zest. Also be sure to check out #14DaysofChocolate on Pinterest for more chocolate recipes and health benefits.

What if I told chocolate could help your brain? A study out of Norway with 2,031 participants, ages 70-74, showed improved cognitive performance in those who consumed flavanol rich food like tea, wine, or chocolate. Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, has been kind enough to share some chocolate with us. Her recipe uses 2 types of chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate chips for some brain enhancing flavanols. Get out the slow cooker and indulge in this delicious recipe for Chocolate Risotto. Enjoy!

As if we needed more reasons to eat chocolate, Jill Nussinow (aka The Veggie Queen), is tempting us with these whole food based truffles. I love this recipe contains 2 types of chocolate, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, along with dates and almonds. A study in Nutrients in 2012 showed decrease in anxiety levels among participants eating milk chocolate and dark chocolate after an hour of consumption. I think this recipe would definitely improve any anxiety I was having. For more recipes from The Veggie Queen, visit her website at www.theveggiequeen.com.

It’s day 5 of 14 days of chocolate! If you are not drooling yet, you will be over this chocolate recipe. Today, I enlisted the help of dietitian, Dana Angelo White. Dana is a expert nutrition blogger for Food Network’s Healthy Eats blog, where she first posted this mouth watering dark chocolate bark. Dark chocolate is one of my very favorites due to it’s high flavanol content. Flavanols are the antioxidants that make chocolate so good for you. Dark chocolate proved to be highly beneficial in a group of 44 people with prehypertension or stage I hypertension at a primary care clinic in Germany. Participants where given 6.3 grams of dark chocolate a day significantly reduced their blood pressure after 12-18 weeks. Stay tuned for more reasons to eat chocolate.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat sheet and set aside. Toast hazelnuts in a dry pan until warmed and fragrant. Let the nuts cool, then chop and set chopped pieces aside.

In a double boiler, slowly melt chocolate, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon; add brown rice cereal and mix gently. Pour mixture onto lined baking sheet and smooth out evenly into a rectangular shape (it doesn’t have to be perfect).

Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and set aside for 1 to 2 hours (or 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge) until chocolate hardens. Break into pieces and serve.

Notes

Variation: Flavor your chocolate with just the vanilla, omit the brown rice cereal and top with 1/3 cup slivered almonds and 1/3 cup dried cherries and chopped dried apricots.
Tip: You can store the bark in the freezer for up to a month.

Black beans and chocolate? That was the first thought that came to mind when I saw this recipe, but it really is quite genius. This delicious gluten free treat is completely flour-less, and contains 1/2 cup cocoa powder. A meta analysis in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reviewing studies from 1966-2010, showed reduced LDL (or bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol in 10 clinical trials when given flavonol rich cocoa products or dark chocolate from 2-12 weeks. The black beans are the added benefit of this recipe, providing extra protein and soluble fiber which is good for blood sugar, the cardiovascular system, and the digestive tract. Thank you to my colleagues, Janice Bissex and Liz Weiss, Meal Makeover Moms for this recipe from their book, No Whine with Dinner. They also that have tons of other healthy recipes that you should definitely check out on their blog.

Stay tuned for more delicious and healthy chocolate recipes from more of my dietitian friends, and check out 14 Days of Chocolate on Pinterest.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract as desired, baking powder, and salt and process until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.

It’s February! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and lots of chocolates are going to flying off the shelves at your supermarket. Chocolate is full of antioxidant activity that can actually benefit your health. If you follow Supermarket Nutrition on Pinterest, I started a #14DaysofChocolate board. February 1-14, I am posting healthy tips and recipes about chocolate to inspire you. Yesterday, I posted about how chocolate may help improve insulin resistance and my Chocolate Avocado Pudding recipe.

Today, my inspiration came from Cooking Light who sent me their new cookbook, The New Way to Cook Light. I have made 3 recipes so far, and I have enjoyed each one. I do like to modify recipes to my taste so I did the same with this muffin recipe. I made it gluten and dairy free, in addition to using quinoa flour to pack in some protein. I also love the use of red wine vinegar in the original recipe. I had to add coffee because it enhances the flavor of the chocolate. If you don’t want gluten free muffins, replace the gluten free flour with all purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum. I hope you enjoy it! It’s perfect with a cup of coffee and a scoop of peanut butter. Be sure to look for more #14DaysofChocolate tips and recipes on the blog and Pinterest.